Ducks ‘find way to lose’

ANAHEIM -- Close doesn't cut it, certainly given where the Ducks stand these days.

Despite taking a one-goal lead into the third period, the Ducks watched the defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings score twice within 35 seconds to take a 4-3 decision Wednesday night at Honda Center.

"We found a way to lose," Ducks goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere said. "That's the difference between us and them. They know how to win, and we're a team trying to figure out how to win."

While the Red Wings (30-7-6) remained 11 points ahead of the second-place Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL's Central Division and pulled within three points of the pace-setting San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference, the Ducks (22-18-5) did nothing to enhance their status in the lower half of the playoff picture.

"They find ways to win," Giguere said. "We don't always do that. It's going to be up to us, the veterans, to step up and find a way."

Detroit's Dan Cleary beat Giguere from near the top of the right-wing faceoff circle at 9:32 of the third period, and Johan Franzen scored a disputed decisive goal at 10:07, re-directing a Pavel Datsyuk shot with what the Ducks claimed was a high stick. A video review did not overturn the call on the ice.

"We're going to have a conversation with that one," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said "Clearly, from the angle we have, and I think it was our broadcast, it showed that the puck definitely was above the crossbar. It went down, so how it got down is really going to be the question."

The goals by Cleary and Franzen overshadowed an outstanding effort by Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf, who followed up his five-assist performance in a 5-4, overtime triumph over the visiting Red Wings on Oct. 29 with a goal and two assists.

"I think everybody played well for the most part," Getzlaf said. "We had a few fundamental breakdowns and they cost us goals. When you play a good hockey team, that's what happens."

After being out-shot 7-1 and giving up the game's initial goal to Tomas Holmstrom 9:03 into the first period, the Ducks turned it up a notch. Getzlaf scored at the 17-minute mark and made a tremendous stickhandling play to set up a Corey Perry power-play goal at 18:48, but Detroit regained control at the outset of the second period.

A power-play strike by Jiri Hudler, which resulted from an unexpected carom off the end boards, got the Red Wings even at 2:49. Though the Ducks regained the lead when Getzlaf set up a goal by defenseman Steve Montador at 11:28, Detroit out-shot the Ducks 13-4 in the middle session.

The Ducks tested Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood only two more times before Franzen put Detroit on top to stay.

"In the first half of the game, that was the team we can be," Giguere said. "In the second half, that's the team we don't want to be."

FESTERLING HURT

Ducks rookie defenseman Brett Festerling did not return after taking a Marian Hossa shot on the inside of his left knee 16 minutes into the second period.

An X-ray did not look favorable, Carlyle said. The Ducks scheduled Festerling to undergo an MRI exam Thursday, meaning he would not travel with the team on an early morning flight for Friday's road game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Ducks would appear likely to recall another defenseman from the Iowa Chops of the American League.

THREE STARS

1. RYAN GETZLAF: A goal and two assists gave Ducks center eight points in two home games against Detroit this season

2. PAVEL DATSYUK: Slick center made a tremendous play to set up a first-period Red Wings goal, and also assisted on the game-winner in the third period

3. JOHAN FRANZEN: Detroit's "Mule" stood his ground in a crowd in front of the net to re-direct a Datsyuk shot for the decisive goal

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